Precious metals alloying apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i YIN'VLENTOR,

Ric hard C.Merr1'1l.

ATTORNEY.

R. c. MERRILL PRECIOUS METALS ALLOYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14

ON w k 2.

R. c. MERRILL May 31, 1938.

PRECIOUS METALS ALLOYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14 1938 Fiq.il Fiq.12

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fiq.5

IN ENTOR,

Richard czjvtrrul.

BYCDQ/VZ'QL 63.9fm

ATTORNEY Patented May 31, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 7 2,119,238 PRECIOUS METALS ALLOYING APPARATUS Richard 0. Merrill,

Cave Junction, Oreg.

Application February 14, 1938, Serial No. 190,452

Claims.

Precious metals, when occurring in their native state, may be completely extracted from their ores by alloying with lead. For this purpose the ores are pulverized finely and mixed 5 with molten lead after which, the finely comminuted rock, sand, is removed from the alloy andthen the precious metals are separated from the lead. A

My invention has for an object to thoroughly mix the pulverized ore with molten lead.

Another object of my invention is to completely separate the sand from'the metal alloy.

Another object of my invention is to provide for the free dripping of the alloy from'the sand during the process of the separation thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a vessel in which the said separation mayoccur wherein the rising mixture of sand and alloy enters increasing areas.

Another object of my invention is to provide the said vessel and stirring appurtenances therein in and among which the said mixture may rise into increasing areas without having enlarged the diameter of the vessel as its top is approached.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

My invention is illustrated in the two sheets of accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of 'myprecious-metals alloying apparatus in section on a longitudinal, vertical, medial plane, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the pipe of the apparatus on a transverse plane through .the

of the said pipe on a transverse plane on the line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 1 from which the major portion of the pipe has been broken away, Fig. 5 is the front end elevation view of the apparatus, Fig.6 is a top plan view of the bowl on a horizontal plane through the line 6-6, Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the three similar stirring and elevating paddles segregated, Fig. 8 is a top plan view of Fig. '7, Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 7, Fig. 10 is an edge elevation of Fig. 7 limited to the said edge, Fig. 11 is a side elevation of an optional shape of stirring paddle, and Fig. 12 is an edge view of Fig. 11. Throughout the specification, similar designating characters refer to similar parts. Certain parts are broken away.

With more particular reference to designated parts: The bowl I3 is a vertically disposed hollow cylinder with a closed rounded bottom, open line 2--2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 Ba sectional view top and overflow lip l3 Connected with the bottom of the bowl and extended horizontally is the pipe It, with removably fastened cover M 14 closed outer end I6, an upwardly extended chamber IT at its outer end closed by the removably fastened cover l8 and an upwardly extended receiving tube I9 on the cover [4 A centrally-disposed stationary shaft [5 has its bottom end fastened in the bottom of the bowl I3 and extends above the top of the bowl.

A vertical shaft 2!] is mounted for revolution in a bearing at the outer end of the pipe [4 on the bottom thereof and in a bearing on the pipe cover l8 above which it is extended and has fastened on its lower end, within the pipe, the bevel gear 2| and, on its upper end, above the pipe, the bevel gear 22. On a bracket 24 the bearing 24 is fastened to mount for revolution the driveshaft 23 which has the bevel gear 25 fastened thereon meshing with the gear 22. The bracket 2 is fastened on the pipe cover IS. The bearings 26 and 21 are fastened to hangers from the inside of the pipe cover l l and mount the shaft 28 for revolution within the pipe I4 disposed parallel therewith and above the center thereof. On the outer end of the shaft 28 is fastened the bevel gear 3| meshed with the gear 2|. The bevel gears 2|, 22, 25, and 3| are conventionally drawn. The construction provides for the shaft 28 to be driven by the shaft 23. There are five two-blade propellers 29 shown as fastened, spaced apart, on the shaft 28 and the two-blade propeller 29 fastened on the said shaft near its outer end. On the end of one of the blades of the propeller 29 is fastened the arm 30 extended at right angles therewith. The shaft 28 passes through a hole in the'baffle plate 32 which is disposed adjacent the gear 3| and fastened torthe bottom side of thepipe cover M and its bottom end is spaced from the bottom of the pipe I4. All of the blades of the said propellers are set for forcing a movement of any contents of the pipe M from its outer end toward the bowl I3 when the shaft 28 is revolved clockwise as viewed from its outer end. The shaft 28 is disposed to revolve the ends of the propeller blades adjacent the cover M and spaced from the bottom of the pipe M. The arm 30 is disposed to pass near and beneath the inner end of the receiving tube [9 as the shaft 28 revolves.

Within the cylindrical bowl [3 is disposed the hollow cylindrical intruding element 33 having the conical bottom end 34 and an interior flanged open upper end closable by the cover 35 and mounted for revolution on the stationary shaft l5. The cover 35 is fastened to the shaft I5 by the set screw 31 to prevent the same from revolving and may be fastened to the flange of the element 33 by the cap screws 36, 36; which are shown in dotted lines. When retained by the screws 36 the element 33 can not revolve on the shaft l5, but when the said screws are removed from the cover and flange, the element 33 is free to revolve on the shaft IS. The vent hole 35 provides against the accumulation of pressure within the element 33. The element 33 is disposed within the bowl l3 to provide the annular;

space 48 between the bowl and element.

The annular disc 38 is mounted for revolution on the shaft l5 above the cover 35 and has the centrally disposed bevel gear39 fastened on its top surface. The bracket 4| is fastened on the top end of the shaft l5 and has the horizontal bearing 40 in which is mounted the shaft 42 for revolution. On the inner end of the shaft 42 is fastened the bevel gear 44 meshing with the gear 39. The gears 39 and 44 are conventionally drawn. The construction provides for the revolution of the disc 38 by the shaft 42. Beneath the disc 38 are three dependent paddles 43, 43, 43 fastened to the disc with two studs 45, 45, on the upper end of each paddle, which are extended through holes in the disc and retained in place by nuts thereon. The paddles 43'are disposed within the annular space 48 and transversly arcuate concentric with the said space. These paddles extend from the bottom of the disc 38 to a point within the bowl l3 adjacent the baseof the conical bottom end of the element 331' The shaft 42'is turned to revolve the disc 38 in a clockwise direction, as viewed from thetop thereof, and the rear edges of the paddles 43 are vertically disposed while theforwardedges of the paddles extend 'dia'go nally downward and forward as shown at 43 This construction provides for the bottom ends 43 of the paddles being wider that the top ends thereof. There are spaced vertical grooves 43'" in each side of each of the paddles 43 and a groove 43 in the rear edge of each of the said paddles. These grooves extend upward no farther than'the level of the overflow lip; 13? in the top edge of the bowl. 1

When the character of the ore makes the straight plane paddles 46 41 preferable to the more complicated structure above explained with reference to paddles 43, they may be used to replace the latter.

In operation: Assume that the lower part of the apparatus is filled with molten lead about to the level of line a,a of Figs. '1 and 5; that the apparatus is'disposed in a heated furnace capa ble of maintaining the said lead at a temperature of about 1000 F.; that the paddles 43'a re being revolved in the annular space 48; that the pro pellers 23, 29 are revolving in the pipe l4, and that finely comminuted ore is beingpoured into the top of receiving tube I9. Then the ore will tend to float on the top of the molten lead but will be carried beneath the surface of the lead and mixed'therewith by the arm 30 and theblades of the propellers 29, 29 revolving in the pipe [4. The'mixture of ore and lead in the pipe i l will be shoved toward the bowl 'I3bythepropel1ers and, arriving in the'bottom of the bowl, it will rise in the annular space 48 to be carried aroundtherein bylthe revolving paddles43ff With the cap screws 36 inplace, as shown in dotted lines in FigfLthe element will remain stationary. This is desirable when alloying some orespbut, or-

dinarily, I prefer to not use the said cap screws and leave the said element free to revolve under the frictional impulse of the ore and lead revolving in the annular space 48. The front edges 43 of the paddles, moving forward in the annular space 48, will tend to lift upward on the ore and aid the propelling action of the propellers 29, 29 in the pipe M to shove the ore up and out over the lip 33.

The greater width of the paddles 43 at the bottom than at the top thereof reduces the available space for ore and lead in the bottom of the annular space 48 as compared with the said space at the topof the bowl. That is, the rising column in theannular space enters areas of greater capacity asit moves upward, thus diminishing the tendency of the tenacious material to solidify and clog the space in which it is being agitated by the paddles. It is desired to entirely separate the sand from the alloy during the movement of the material from the upper surface of the lead in the bottom of the bowl to the top of the bowl. This is aided by maintaining the temperature within the annular space 48' to the very top of the bowl. It is further aided by'the grooves 43 23 in the paddles43. As these paddles are forced forward in the annular space among themixture of sand and alloy, with much of the alloy'firmly adhering to the sand, these grooves provide small vertical conduits from nearthe top'of the bowl to the lead in'the bottom thereof through which alloy, which is adhering to the sand but which tends to leave the same'when contacting with the hot metal paddles, may freely flow to the said metal in thebottom of the bowl. In this way the sand mayreach that Op of the bowl and flow over t he lip thereof quite entirely free from the said metallic alloy.

When it is desired to clean up, feeding in of the crushed ore ceases, but otherwise the machine operates as described till sand no longer flows over the bowl. Then poweris shut off, the disc 38; with top gearsand bottom paddles are removed, as also are the cover 35 and. element 33, exposing the bowl for convenient removal of its contents. The sand and sand with lead attached are removed and reserved for again passingthrough the machine. Thenall of the molten alloy is removed and treated. for separating the precious metals contained therein. The lead remaining, after the removal of other metals. of the alloy, isreturned to the machine for further use.

Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim asnew. therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. Apparatus of the kind described including, a cylindrical bowl, a substantially horizontally disposed pipe having its outer end closed and its inner end connected with the bottom of the said bowl and having a portion of its upper partremovably fastened thereon as a cover, a receiving tube connected with the said pipe cover disposed near the said closed end of the pipe, drivable means disposed within the said pipe adapted to mix any pulverous and fluid contents. thereof and advance the saidcontents toward the said bowl, mechanical connections between the said drivable means within the pipe and driving means outside of the'pipe adapted to convey driving powerto the said drivable means within the pipe, a vertical shaft centrally disposed within the bowl fastened to the bottom thereof, a cylindrical elementmounted on the said shaft for revolution within the said bowl providing. an intervening annular space, a disc mounted for revolution on the said shaft disposed above the said element, a plurality of paddles fastened to the said disc extended into the said annular space revoluble therein by the revolution of the said disc, and means to revolve the said disc.

2. In apparatus of the kind described, a cylindrical bowl, a substantially horizontally-disposed pipe having its outer end closed and its inner end connected with the said bowl at the bottom thereof and having a portion of its upper part removably fastened to the lower portion thereof as a cover thereon, the bottom portions of the said bowl and pipe being adapted to contain molten lead, a receiving tube connected with the said pipe near the said outer end thereof, aligned bearings within the said pipe suspended from the said cover thereof, a shaft mounted for revolution in the said bearings longitudinally in the said pipe, a plurality of mixing and propelling blades fastened on the said shaft to revolve therewith, an external driving shaft mounted for revolution on the said closed end of the pipe, driver connections between the said external shaft and the said pipe shaft to revolve the pipe shaft by the driving shaft, a centrallydisposed vertical shaft in the said bowl fastened to the bottom thereof, a cylindrical intruding element mounted on the said bowl shaft for revolution within the bowl providing an annular space between the element and bowl, a disc mounted for revolution on the said bowl shaft above the said bowl and intruding element, stirring paddles fastened to the said disc and extended into the said annular space, and means to revolve the said disc to move the said paddles within the said annular space.

3. Alloying apparatus of the kind described including, a substantially horizontally-disposed pipe having a closed outer end, a receiving tube connected with the said pipe disposed near the said closed pipe end, a longitudinally disposed shaft mounted for revolution in the said pipe, a plurality of mixing and propeller blades fastened on the said shaft to revolve therewith, a horizontal arm fastened on the end of one of the said propeller blades disposed beneath the inner end of the said receiving tube to move in close proximity to the said tube end as the said shaft revolves, a chamber in the said closed end of the pipe extended above the said pipe, a baffle plate fastened transversely in the said pipe between the said tube end and the said end chamber having its bottom end spaced apart from the pipe bottom, a vertical shaft mounted for revolution in the said end chamber with its upper end extended above the said chamber external thereto, driving connections between the lower end of the said vertical shaft and the outer end of the said pipe shaft, driving connections between the external end of the said vertical shaft and a driving shaft, and the said driving shaft mounted for revolution.

4. Alloying apparatus of the kind described including, a cylindrical bowl, 2. vertical shaft centrally disposed in the said bowl having its lower end fastened in the bottom thereof, a cylindro-conical intruding element mounted within the bowl on the said shaft free to revolve thereon providing an annular space between the element and the said bowl, and releasable means to prevent the revolution of the said element on the said shaft.

5. In apparatus of the kind described, a cylindrical bowl, a substantially horizontally-disposed pipe having its outer end closed and its inner end connected with the said bowl at the bottom thereof and having a portion of its upper part removably fastened to the lower part thereof as a cover thereon, the bottom portions of the said bowl and pipe being adapted to contain molten lead, a receiving tube connected with the pipe adjacent the closed end thereof, stirring and propelling blades mounted for revolution in the said pipe to mix any pulverous matter with any molten lead in the said pipe and advance them into the said bowl, means external to the pipe mechanically connected with the said blades within the pipe to revolve the blades, a vertical shaft centrally disposed in the said bowl fastened to the bottom of the bowl, a hollow cylindroconical intruding element mounted in the bowl on the said shaft therein for free revolution providing an annular space between the element and the said bowl, a cover over the said intruding element fastened to the said bowl shaft, removable means to fasten the said cover to the intruding body to prevent its free revolution on the shaft, a disc mounted on the bowl shaft for revolution above the said cover, arcuate stirring'paddles wider at the bottoms than at the tops thereof disposed longitudinally in the said annular space having longitudinal grooves intheir sides and rear edges fastened to thesaid disc to be revolved in the annular space with the said grooved edges in the rear, and means to revolve the said disc.

RICHARD C. MERRILL. 

